Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Face for Media?
In Amusing Ourselves to Death Postman writes that people are much more willing to accept news, and what we hear on the television if the person announcing it has a face for it, meaning they are good looking. I agree with what he says but I don’t understand why we are so willing to accept information based on the looks of the person presenting it. What’s the difference if the person presenting the information is pretty or ugly, either way the information still comes from the same source. The appearance if the television personal doesn’t make the information any more or any less credible, it’ll all be the same no matter what the face of the person presenting it. Information is Information and its all the same. The source of credibility, or whether it’s believable or not should be based on where it’s coming from, where what they are presenting was found, not the face that presents its. Am I right in assuming this, that whether or not we accept information should not be on the basis of the presenters appearance? I just read an article about the opening ceremonies of the Olympics and how a young girl was supposed to perform but her looks didn’t represent the Chinese the way they wanted to be represented because she was buck tooth, so instead they recorded her and had another girl lip sync to it. This is just another example if what Postman was talking about. Isn’t it supposed to be the young girl’s voice that we love, that we’re supposed to be listening to, not her appearances?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I definitely agree when you say it should be based on the credibility of the information rather than the appearance of the person delivering it.
I just read the same article, and I was quite shocked to see that. It displays to not only China, but the whole world, that this young girl cannot clearly display her talents because of her appearance, and that is just wrong.
I recently went to a taping of The CBS Early Show, and thought it was ridiculous that every time there was a commercial break, hair and make-up artists would rush in to make sure the reporter looked their very best.
I found it very similar to what Postman says.
I am certainly surprised that such a thing occured in the Olympics. It's a bit disappointing that China would do such an underhanded trick to preserve an 'image' to people all around the world. The Olympics are supposed to signify unity among nations and also pride that each country that are participating will represent what their country can show the world, in my opinion of course, but for China to do such a cruel thing to a young girl like that? That's a bit sad.
I'm not one to critize since everyone in the world since almost everyone all around the world seem to be completly wrapped in people's looks and in very insignificant things. I admit that I too am concerned in how I represent myself to others but not to the extent of having plastic surgery. If everyone is like this in the world, then wouldn't their own beliefs apply themselves too to politics? Our beliefs define ourselves. Therefore it is actually of no surprise when a handsome young man is voted as the new senator as oppposed to an old oversized man who actually is concerned for his own country. Such a thing is wrong, but we have to consider the world we live in.
It is completely filled with superficial things that cause us to act this way. Aldous Huxley exploits the fact that such superficial things cause us to be too 'distracted' to care about the real important things around us in his book BNW. We can't really blame the people since they have been 'swayed' to beleive and act in a way that we call vain and superficial. It's wrong but there is nothing we can do but just live on and pray for a radical change to change the course of the post-apocalytic future Aldous Huxley says that we are slowly climbng towards to.
We should base the credibility of the information on who we recieve it from.Also i think how our news is viewed has to do with our sociaty and how much tv plays a big role in that. News has some what become more about entertaining us than telling us important.
Think about this: Would you want to learn about the race for precidency from a person who just came out of nowhere? Or would you want to here about it from your local news station? At the same time do you want to here about your favorite movie star's child from ABC nightly News or from E! news?(which isn't real news.)
Yes, I too believe that life in general shouldn't be based on our outer apperancce but what's in side. My reasons for that is because in the end thats what counts, being raised in the church most of my life I feel as though when the world reaches its final destination and it's time for everyone to be judged God isn't going to judge your outer apperance, he's going to judge you by whats held inside. Postman clarifies that the world is bassed on its outer appearance when includes former President Richard Nixons advice on how to make a serious run for presidancy : "lose twenty pounds" (4). I honostly do NOT see why the world is based around all these minor things that has no importance to it what so ever.
I have to agree with all of you: Crediilty should not be based off of beauty but off of the research.
By the Chinese pulling such a scandal they just made themselves look worse than if they would have let the actual singer do her thing.
And sadly, beauty is mainly based off of appearances thsese days when it should be counted from what is on the inside. I'm sure there are a few people who would have thought the original girl was beautiful just for her talent. But then again, maybe not.
Post a Comment